Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) is the newest airport in in the city and is nicknamed the starfish. Located just outside the Chinese capital, Daxing has a gorgeous design with plenty of curves. Zaha Hadid, the starchitect, designed the beautiful terminal building, and it is one of the most original airports I’ve had the chance to spend time in.
It’s home to seriously advanced facial recognition software in use throughout the airport, expediting processes like check-in and boarding for many domestic and selected international flights, though standard passport checks still apply for immigration. It’s a taste of the future. Here are my tips for visiting Beijing Daxing International Airport.
Location
PKX sits about 29 miles from Tiananmen Square in central Beijing. I love using this airport because it’s well connected to the region. Also, if you are traveling around China, this is a great airport to frequent.
Train to the airport
The Daxing Airport Express subway line is your quickest option for reaching the airport. This line runs from Caoqiao Station to the airport in 19 minutes and is very inexpensive for such a convenience.
Bus to the airport
PKX operates 12 city bus routes and 5 intercity routes. Airport bus lines (named for destinations like Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station) connect to major city hubs, while Xinghangcheng Routes 1-5 link the airport with nearby local destinations such as Yufa, Lixian and Anding.
A dedicated Night Line (often referred to as Line 6) operates from about 23:30 until the arrival of the last flight, connecting PKX with Xuanwumen. The journey can take 80-90 minutes in normal conditions (up to 2 hours in heavy traffic), with fares typically ranging from RMB 35 to 60 depending on the route, but I find the subway express is a much better option.
Driving to the airport
Taxis, car services (perhaps booked through your hotel), and ride shares are all available. These should take just over an hour, and about 30 minutes more if there is bad traffic.
If you perhaps are driving and need to park, this airport has an enormous, automated parking facility with thousands of parking spots inside the parking structure as well as outside the airport. There are electric charging stations and car wash facilities too. The parking facility is easy to find on both the north and south sides of the Daxing airport terminal, and you can walk right into the terminal from both.
Car rental
Renting a car in China is complicated. If you’re not a Chinese citizen, note that foreigners cannot legally drive using only an overseas license or International Driving Permit. You must obtain a Temporary Driving Permit from the Traffic Police Department, which requires personally applying at a Vehicle Management Office with your passport, valid visa, foreign driving license, and Chinese translation.
The car rental companies are located directly in the terminal, but you can’t just show up at the desk as a foreigner. You’ll need to present your prearranged booking and special government allowance.
Terminals at PKX
Beijing Daxing operates a single large terminal complex - officially described as the largest single-building airport terminal in the world. It has seven floors – five above ground and two underground. Due to the tentacle design (imagine a kind of octopus), the walking time between areas is never more than 8 minutes, and thus the terminal is more convenient for just about everyone.
Check-in
The contemporary and advanced features of this airport have also made checking in easy. There are more than 400 self-service check-in kiosks using facial recognition technology, designed so that passenger check-in queuing time doesn’t exceed about 10 minutes.
While facial recognition enables paperless check-in and boarding for many domestic and selected international flights, alternative ID options exist, and you’ll still need your passport for immigration checks on international flights.
Which airlines fly to PKX
PKX functions as a major hub for SkyTeam member airlines, including China Eastern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Saudia, while many Star Alliance carriers (including United Airlines) remain concentrated at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). Air China uses PKX as one of its hubs, operating numerous domestic and international routes here in addition to its primary hub at PEK. Since airline assignments can change, I’d recommend checking carefully when booking your flights.
Lounges
Daxing has fantastic lounges throughout the airport. Some are VIP-only and require advance booking through your hotel or travel agency. I love the East Pacific Group’s East Traveler Lounge on the 3rd floor in the International Departures area.
You can pay for entry or use your Priority Pass membership. It’s open 24 hours and has a great bar where you can definitely meet interesting people.
Special amenities
This airport constantly adds new experiences and special events. I have spent a lot of time at this sumptuous airport, and I have to say I have enjoyed it a lot. There is an excellent yoga room located on the international departures area right on the third floor, where I have spent time.
Things to do at the airport
One of my favorite features is the five traditional Chinese courtyards located at the ends of the five departure corridors, officially known as the Silk Garden, Tea Garden, Porcelain Garden, Countryside Garden and Chinese Garden. Depending on the air quality, these are great spots to get outside without leaving the airport building.
5G Wi-Fi
There’s nothing I love more than new tech, and this airport has it all. PKX provides free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal, and China Mobile has deployed 5G mobile coverage in key areas. You can connect to it with your passport or if you have a local SIM card.
Airport hotels
The Aerotel Beijing is the in-terminal hotel located at the Northeast Pier, and I love it - it’s within a mere 5-minute walk to the nearest airline check-in counters. The rooms are small but feature huge televisions, and there’s a Fitness Corner plus a Game Room where I’ve met interesting people.
Other hotels are available across all price ranges. Important note: some hotels don’t accept reservations from non-Chinese citizens, so always check before booking.
Luggage storage
I’ve trekked and traveled China extensively and have many times needed to just leave some bags at the airport. Daxing is well equipped for that. You can store luggage and other items for up to 90 days here, and the facilities are easy to find.
They’re on the east side of the domestic arrivals hall (second floor) and are open from 7 am to late night. There’s another facility by international departures that is open 24 hours.
Banking at the airport
This airport has multiple ATMs and currency exchanges. There’s also a large Bank of China on the fourth floor of the terminal that’s open from 9 am to 5 pm. It’s a full-service bank, and there are a few other banks on the third floor, too.
Customs
Be careful with customs and declarations at this airport. There is a long list of prohibited items for import or export, including any audiovisuals that oppose Chinese morals, for instance. Also, you need to declare all relics or antiques you’ve purchased, or anything that might be labeled as commercial materials.
They’re strict, so you’ll want to avoid any issues here at Daxing. I have no social media whatsoever, and I advise people to temporarily delete their apps from their phones for a visit to China.
Visa-free stay
I love that this airport offers an expanded transit visa-free program - now up to 240 hours (10 days) - for visitors from 55 countries including the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. The policy now allows cross-regional movement across 24 specified provincial-level regions during your stay, not just Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. You just need to show an onward ticket, and you can complete the paper work on arrival in Beijing.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
